PETALUMA, CALIF. — Perdue Foods’ Petaluma Poultry division is taking legal action against animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) due to alleged harassment and privacy violations.

On April 4, the company filed a complaint for injunctive relief with the California Superior Court, Sonoma County, after DxE “deployed alarming, and illegal, tactics against an associate and his family at their private residence,” Perdue said.

Perdue explained that the associate targeted by DxE is a material witness in an ongoing case against DxE operative Zoe Rosenberg, who is facing criminal charges for illegally entering a Petaluma Poultry facility back in 2024. Rosenberg’s trial is scheduled for May.

Leading up to the trial, DxE has “relentlessly harassed the associate, his family and neighbors,” Perdue claimed.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home, without fear of harassment or disruption,” said Julie Katigan, chief human resources officer for Perdue. “Today, we took steps to protect those values for our associates, their families and our community.”

Petaluma Poultry raises fresh, organic, free-range chicken at ranches around Sonoma County. The company has a feed mill and packing operations in Petaluma, Calif. Sustainable farming and animal welfare are some of Petaluma Poultry’s top corporate values.

“While we welcome open and honest discussion about the welfare of animals, we strongly oppose the extreme tactics used by DxE,” Katigan said. “These are not the actions of an organization seeking constructive dialogue.”

Several agricultural groups and businesses rallied in support for Petaluma Poultry.

“It is extremely disheartening to see Direct Action Everywhere target an individual and his family so mercilessly, though it is not the first time we’ve seen this tactic used by the organization,” said Abby Kornegay, director of issues and engagement for Animal Agriculture Alliance. “The utter disregard for the law, the right to privacy, and consideration for others highlights just how extreme this organization is and how far they are willing to escalate to achieve their goal.”

“Direct Action Everywhere has been disrupting farms and businesses in Sonoma County for over seven years,” said Dayna Ghirardelli, chief executive officer of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. “They tried to eliminate farms in Sonoma County through the Measure J ballot initiative, which they lost by 85%. This was a clear message from the community supporting our farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses that drive our economy and ensure food security.”

“Petaluma Poultry has long been a leader in free-range and organic poultry, and they’re known for taking great care of their birds,” said Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation. “The claims being made by DxE simply don’t line up with reality. Their persistent protests at an individual associate’s home are not only disruptive — they’re intentionally misleading and misrepresent the work Petaluma and its employees do every day.”